By Charles Igbo

The confusion over whether or not Hon Amara Chyna Iwuanyanwu was impeached  on Tuesday November 2, as the Deputy Speaker of the Imo House of Assembly is clearing. The Speaker, Rt Hon. Paul Emeziem confirms it as true.

News broke on Tuesday that he Iwuanyanwu had been impeached. But his supporters, especially those close to Government House, Owerri, dismiss the impeachment as “purported”. They dismiss it as a ruse, and say it was a failed attempt.

18 members of the Assembly, out of 27, endorsed a resolution to impeach him. Even though no reason was adduced for the action, Speaker Emeziem carried it out to the letter, allegedly, without putting it to vote, or confirming the signatures of those who signed the resolution to impeach him.

Iwuanyanwu is a fierce loyalist of Governor Hope Uzodimma. Side talks are that he was removed because of his alleged arrogance, high-handedness and over-ambition. But his supporters and associates of Governor Uzodimma allege that Speaker Emeziem was compromised  into engineering the impeachment. They say he bribed law makers to the tune of N10m each. They say he was given a whopping sum of $300,000 to carry out the “purported” impeachment, and that it is  targeted at the Governor who they, allegedly, plan to impeach after Iwuanyanwu. With Iwuanyanwu fondly called Mr Capacity, they say, nobody dared plan an impeachment of the Governor.

But Speaker Emeziem, confirming that, indeed, his deputy has been removed from office, denied inducing any Lawmakers with even a kobo. He said there was no such thing as bribery. He dismissed the allegation as mischievous. He said he had no choice but to carry out the resolution of the members who voted, in the majority, to impeach him.

In a statement signed on his behalf by his Chief Press Secretary, Collins Osuji, Speaker Emeziem pledged loyalty to the Governor and Government of the State, and urged members of the public to ignore the bribery story, dismissing it as laughable and an attempt to malign him.

Following is an excerpt from the statement:

“The attention of the office of the Speaker, Imo State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Paul Emeziem has been drawn to the fictitious, malicious and baseless reports trending on some sections of the social media regarding the removal of the Deputy Speaker, Rt. Hon. Amara Chyna Iwuanyanwu.

“The Speaker, as the chief servant of the House, as required by ethics and law guiding the state Assembly, only made the pronouncement after acknowledging that the resolution received endorsement of the far majority of the House members.

“But against the ‘factuality’ of what transpired, the mischief makers, sponsored by known elements, have taken to social media platforms to ditch out lies aimed at maligning the personality and integrity of the Speaker and the other members of the House.

“Also, that the Speaker and the members were bought over by some known politicians in the state to carry out the decision and by extension destabilize the state government led by His Excellency, Dist. Sen. Hope Uzodinma was nowhere near the truth and should totally be disregarded.

“We, therefore, want to use this medium to appeal to the Imolites and the general public to treat the trending misleading and lies-infested reports with levity as they can only come from a power drunk or drowning person or persons.”

However, the State Government at a press conference addressed by the Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Declan Emelumba, confirmed plans to destabilize the State Government, and force a  declaration of a state of emergency in the State.

By Charles Igbo

The news on Tuesday, November 2, 2021, sounded unbelievable. Yet, it spread like wild fire during the harmattan season. A number of Social Media Platforms carried it. The Deputy Speaker of the Imo House of Assembly, Hon. Amara Chyna Iwuanyanwu, has been Impeached, the stories screamed.

Depending on the platform, it was wildly celebrated. Yet,  some commentators were cautious. They asked questions. Is it true? Is it possible? What happened?

There was confusion. It stemmed from the fact that the story added that six members of the House who have been on indefinite suspension for months have been recalled. Something fishy must be going on, everybody concluded.

Who is pulling the string?, was the question.

The question is legitimate. Iwuanyanwu evokes different emotions in people. He is, at once fiercely loved and fiercely hated. But it has always been thought that in the House of Assembly, he had more admirers than non-admirers.

However, in the Assembly, he is regarded as Governor Hope Uzodimma’s boy, his eyes in the Assembly. Some say he is the Governor’s man- Friday. They feel he snitches on them. Which was why the news of his impeachment was celebrated by some people. “Serves him right.” “This is the beginning of his fall. “Somebody called him the

Deputy choir master!”

When the six members of the Assembly were suspended, the story was that Iwuanyanwu was behind it. When the former Speaker of the House, Chiji Collins, was replaced by Speaker Paul Emeziem, the story was that Iwuanyanwu was behind it.

Truth, however, is that he is fiercely loyal to the Governor. Which was why the impeachment story came as a surprise. Was the Governor aware of the impeachment plan? If he was, why was he not able to stop it. Or, has Iwuanyanwu fallen out of favour?

If he was impeached, as was the story this Tuesday, and the suspended members recalled, then, something went wrong in the House. Loyalty has shifted. And, perhaps, the Governor could be the ultimate target.

According to Ogubunka Nwadike, the former State Publicity Secretary of the opposition Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, who shocked the Party by defecting to the All Progressives Congress, Iwuanyanwu’s impeachment is targeted at the Governor. He said it is a prelude to the plan to impeach the Governor.

He said the plot to impeach  Iwuanyanwu, and so the Governor, was hatched in Lagos at the Sheraton Hotel. He said the meeting was, allegedly, between Emeziem and the Imo PDP hierarchy. And that Emeziem was given the sum of $300,000 (N168m) for the job.

According to Ogubunka, to impeach Uzodimma, they needed to impeach Iwuanyanwu first. But a PDP source has since dismissed Nwadike’s allegation as thrash. “How did Emeziem carry the sum of $300,000 back to Imo from Lagos? This is thrash. What has happened is that Iwuanyanwu has been paid back in his own coin.”

Iwuanyanwu’s impeachment was carried out on November 2, at what was allegedly, a hurried Plenary session. The motion to impeach him was moved by Hon. Even Nnodim of the Orsu  Constituency. He was the one who submitted the resolution to impeach Iwuanyanwu. He said out of 27 members, 18 members signed to impeach Iwuanyanwu as Deputy Speaker.

Receiving the resolution, the Speaker, Rt. Hon Paul Emeziem, said: “Since this resolution was signed by 18 members out of the 27, the resolution stands.”

Yet, it is still not known whether Iwuanyanwu has actually been Impeached or not. According to Ogubunka, it was a failed exercise. But others counter him, and insist Iwuanyanwu has been Impeached.

There is yet no official reaction from Government House. It is yet to be seen what the outcome will be. Will the impeachment stick or not? Will the Governor keep quiet and ignore? Is Speaker Emeziem on his way out, or will he consolidate? A group has already given him 24 hours to resign. But, time will tell.

The next few days will be dicey. And interesting.